'Gau katha' to blame for Latehar killings?

RANCHI: Gau katha, or discussion on the religious significance of cows, has been an annual event in Latehar's Balumath village for the past one decade, and Muslim villagers dealing in cattle are often "persuaded" by vigilante groups to give up the trade, bereaved family members of the two deceased men told visiting Congress officials on Sunday.

The Congress delegation led by state chief Sukhdeo Bhagat, who met the families of 35-year-old Muhammad Majloom and 15-year-old Azad Khan Alias Ibrahim on Sunday, said Friday's brutality stemmed from such events. "No religion permits murder in the name of protecting cows. The two killed were bread earners for their families. The vigilantes showed little regard for human life. Earlier events (talks on cow protection) indicate that the assailants were moved by zeal to protect cattle. People of a particular community were targeted for protecting cows," Bhagat said from Balumath, 100km from here.

Samsher Alam, who was a part of the Congress delegation, said the lynching was planned and not spontaneous. "Criminals with the intent to loot cash and cattle will kill somebody, but not thrash and hang him from a tree. The police is covering up the matter," he added.

Former CM Babulal Marandi, who was also in Balumath on Sunday, said the cow vigilantes have become very active. "Villagers told me that in the last six months, saffron activists have threatened cattle traders five times and asked them to abandon their trade. The people live in fear," Marandi said.

Five people, including a member of Latehar's Gau Raksha Samiti, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the twin lynching. However, police on Sunday rubbished claims that a group of people instigated by 'gau kathas' carried out the lynching. "No complaint against any vigilante group holding 'gau katha' has been reported to Latehar police recently or in the past," Latehar SP Anoop Birthary said.